A Manhattan judge has ordered the NYPD to release data on police shooting incidents that it had been fighting tooth and nail to keep private.
In a decision made public yesterday, state Supreme Court Justice Emily Jane Goodman ruled the cops must turn over two kinds of reports that are filed after every shooting incident involving a civilian to the New York Civil Liberties Union.
She ordered the NYPD to turn over data dating back to 1997, but said they can withhold information identifying police, victims and witnesses from the documents.
The NYCLU had been trying to get the two types of reports created after cops fire their weapons at civilians -- one that's done 24 hours after the shooting and the other 90 days later -- since early 2009.
"Once again, the courts have rejected the NYPD's pattern of withholding information from the public," said NYCLU executive director Donna Lieberman.
Lawyers for the NYPD had put forward a laundry list of reasons why they believed the reports should be completely withheld, including arguing that it would interfere with investigations, discourage witnesses from cooperating, and because their release could be an "unwarranted invasion of privacy" for those involved.
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(I know, I know ... the New York Post)http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/cops_lose_battle_over_shot_citizens_1upFpM0VHwhO2PDHVpbziL#ixzz1En2wmaKvI'm surprised they were doing that. I would think this is something that would have to be made public.